Articles By Christine Kern

  1. Home Depot Outshines Lowe's In First Quarter Sales 6/1/2017

    Lowe’s has spent the last year actively shaking up its organization in an effort to differentiate itself and capitalize on opportunities in the home improvement industry, and those changes have paid off with a 10.7 percent year-over-year increase in net sales for quarter one. Despite the growth, however, those figures fall short of analyst expectations, reaching just $16.9 billion compared to projected $19.5 billion in sales, according to data from Thomson Reuters. And while the numbers were good, they were not quite good enough to overtake industry leader Home Depot.

  2. AI Predicted To Be In Use By Almost Half Of All Retailers By 2020 5/31/2017

    Savvy retailers know that the future of customer services lies in the implementation of innovative technologies like artificial intelligence, according to the 2017 Customer Experience/ Unified Commerce Survey results from BRP. In fact, 55 percent of retailers are focused on optimizing the customer experience – and thus boost customer loyalty – through the use of technology to improve the mobile shopping experience and create a unified cross-channel experience.

  3. Walmart Investing Heavily In Store Remodels To Ease Pick Up Of Online Orders 5/30/2017

    As the retail giant boosts its investment in digital operations, Walmart also is investing millions of dollars in the remodeling of between 400 and 640 physical stores in an effort to meet customer demands for more efficient fulfillment options, according to a report from MLive Media Group. Improvements include physical alterations like widening aisles; improving sight-lines by lowering shelves and boosting signage; moving pickup service locations to the front of stores and creating lounge areas for those picking up online orders.

  4. Lowe's And Virginia Tech Partner To Develop New Lift-Assist Robotic Suit Technology 5/26/2017

    Lowe’s and Virginia Tech have developed a new wearable robotic suit with lift-assist technology that helps employees lift and carry merchandise through the store more efficiently and with less change of repetitive injuries. The exosuit is now being piloted at Lowe’s Christiansburg, Virginia store, and it was a product of Lowe’s Innovation Lab.

  5. Two Walmart Supercenters Test High-Tech Features To Boost Customer Experience 5/25/2017

    Walmart is currently “testing new approaches in two recently opened supercenters" in Tomball, TX, and Lake Nona, FL featuring new layouts and technology to improve the shopping experience, according to a corporate blog post written by Jeff Muench, senior director of Business Development. The pilot is designed to see how new features can help boost the overall customer experience and help raise sales.

  6. TeleRetail Offers Up New Robot For Long-Range Deliveries 5/24/2017

    A new robotic prototype from Swiss company Teleretail AG would be capable of traveling distances up to 50 miles to deliver goods, expanding the potential for suburban and rural delivery applications, according to TechCrunch.

  7. Target Rolls Out New Virtual View Feature To Bolster Furniture Sales And Challenge Amazon 5/23/2017

    Target has unveiled 360 ° Shopping, a virtual experience on its website, that features curated living room looks and the ability to browse some 140 products in a virtual living room designed to help visualize the size, scale and styling of items, according to a company blog post.

  8. DICK's Sporting Goods Shakes Up Executive Team 5/22/2017

    DICK'S Sporting Goods, Inc. is experiencing a high as it capitalizes on the current turmoil in the sporting goods market. Last year’s bankruptcy of rival Sports Authority helped boost DICK’s sales and position, as it won intellectual property rights and some store leases in its wake. Golfsmith also exited the market last year, giving DICK’s a larger share of the marketplace.

  9. Rumors Of Total Gander Mountain Liquidation Are False 5/19/2017

    New owner says it is liquidating assets at all locations, but only closing some of them.

  10. Target Launches Test Of Essentials Restock Program 5/18/2017

    In the latest move to improve fulfillment and boost customer engagement, Target has announced that it is launched a pilot of Target Restock, a program that allows customers to shop for household essentials online and have them delivered to their home the following day. The pilot will be conducted this summer in the Minneapolis area.